At Tense Party Meeting, UP CM Akhilesh Yadav Breaks Down After Tongue-Lashing From Father

Dil toh bachha hai ji.

An emotional Akhilesh Yadav broke down in the middle of his speech during a Samjwadi Party meeting in Lucknow on Monday, offering to resign after he claimed he was not interested in forming a new political party.

In a meeting with party legislators, ministers and MPs convened by his father and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav at the party headquarters, the 43-year-old Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "Let 'netaji' (Mulayam) install a chief minister who he feels is honest."

"Why should I form a new party? Merey pita, merey guru hain (my father is my guru)."

Meanwhile, Yadav senior admonished his son for not heeding his advice and "focussing on other things, abusing people." He added that Shivpal Yadav and Amar Singh were invaluable to SP and its future.

Drunkards, goons have been added to the party. You get some power and it goes to your head. Shivpal Yadav is leader of the masses: MS Yadav

The Chief Minister said many people were trying to create divisions within his family using various machinations and that he had taught himself how to oppose any wrong doing.

Meanwhile, outside the party headquarters, youth supporters of Akhilesh clashed with Shivpal Yadav loyalists. A day earlier, Akhilesh had sacked Shivpal Yadav, the second time in a month, for being "pro-Amar Singh". Mulayam Singh had, in turn, sacked Akhilesh's faithful supporter Ramgopal Yadav.

This family feud has come days ahead of its silver jubilee celebrations, and months before the state assembly elections.